If UConn makes a bowl today shows how schedules matter

[Stern]

ND is 1-3. They just lost to Duke at home. We have zero Top 25 teams on our non-conference schedule.

ND came into the year Top 10. They have lost to Mich St, Texas, and Duke. It isn't like they are losing to the little sisters of the poor.

Not having Top 25 teams is a poor indicator since SU isn't anywhere near a Top 25 school these days. In time, years down the road, I would have no problem with scheduling some tougher/more challenging opponents. But it has to stop as its killing our program. USF and UCONN may not be Top 25 but they are equal to better than us as programs in recent years

Next year is a prime example...with FSU, Clemson, Miami, LSU, L'ville...even if we improve talent wise and play better, it probably won't reflect it in the record and standings. It's tough to grow as a program that way. Almost impossible. Ya gotta be smart and make it easier on yourself

 

[Chris02M]

ND came into the year Top 10. They have lost to Mich St, Texas, and Duke. It isn't like they are losing to the little sisters of the poor.

Not having Top 25 teams is a poor indicator since SU isn't anywhere near a Top 25 school these days. In time, years down the road, I would have no problem with scheduling some tougher/more challenging opponents. But it has to stop as its killing our program. USF and UCONN may not be Top 25 but they are equal to better than us as programs in recent years

Next year is a prime example...with FSU, Clemson, Miami, LSU, L'ville...even if we improve talent wise and play better, it probably won't reflect it in the record and standings. It's tough to grow as a program that way. Almost impossible. Ya gotta be smart and make it easier on yourself

duke isnt very good this year

 

[Eric15]

ND came into the year Top 10. They have lost to Mich St, Texas, and Duke. It isn't like they are losing to the little sisters of the poor.

Not having Top 25 teams is a poor indicator since SU isn't anywhere near a Top 25 school these days. In time, years down the road, I would have no problem with scheduling some tougher/more challenging opponents. But it has to stop as its killing our program. USF and UCONN may not be Top 25 but they are equal to better than us as programs in recent years

Next year is a prime example...with FSU, Clemson, Miami, LSU, L'ville...even if we improve talent wise and play better, it probably won't reflect it in the record and standings. It's tough to grow as a program that way. Almost impossible. Ya gotta be smart and make it easier on yourself

I feel like we could schedule the University of Phoenix (an online university), and you would say "we really should be scheduling lower-level online opponents right now."

 

[Stern]

I feel like we could schedule the University of Phoenix (an online university), and you would say "we really should be scheduling lower-level online opponents right now.

Not at all. I have said for many years and in recent weeks multiple times our TOUGHEST P5 school we schedule should be the likes of Purdue, Kansas, Indiana (schedule 1, and if we are forced to schedule 2 per the new rules, then schedule a second)...etc. After that though, then we should load up on the likes of Army, Buffalo, Albany, Colgate, Florida Atlantic, FIU, Ball St..etc.

I would never schedule OLD Big East teams who are only a few years removed from being in a power conference who are ahead of us as a football program or equal to us. Nothing to gain in those games, nothing!

 

[Alsacs]

Is our schedule really insanely hard? As of right now, there are only three Top 25 opponents (FSU, Louisville, Clemson) on our schedule. It turns out that Notre Dame isn't nearly as good as we anticipated. UConn isn't a big deal. Colgate is Colgate. And the jury is still out on USF, but they were blown out today by a team that got blown out the week before.

UConn isn't a big deal? We were their Super Bowl and this game wasn't a blow out.
USF has more talent than we do.
Notre Dame is sucking on defense and underachieving but that game isn't east and it will be a de facto road game.
I mean whatever if you disagree it's all subjective but we over schedule for the talent we have on our roster.

We want to schedule teams with peer talent. ND and USF have more talent. We should be scheduling 3 wins in the nonconference and 1 P5 game.
Next years schedule is perfect Middle Tennessee and Central Michigan are schools with less talent and our 1-AA game will give us a good chance to go 3-1 with our loss to LSU.

 

[Briancuse]

Alabama plays in a showcase game against a big-time program the opening weekend of the year every single season. Why didn't you mention that?

Alabama is basically an Nfl team, they could probably beat the browns.

 

[kirbivore]

We are basically in the SEC West, 3 built in losses right now. Have to schedule intelligently...

I would say ACC Atlantic is harder than the SEC West this year. Bama is the best team in both divisions, but I'd rank Clemson, 'ville, and FSU ahead of the other SEC west teams.